Best place for curing

[neeners]

so this weekend i'll be trying my first batch of soap. I've decided on 100% coconut oil CP with goat milk.

I live in the tropics, and I know CP soap needs to be cured. my question is, where's the best place to cure? keeping in mind practically everywhere is humid and hot....

options:
1. what we call our "dry" room, only problem is it's much hotter here than anywhere else (probably 32 degrees C), but it's dry.
2. regular closet (can be more humid as it's in the bathroom area...my clothes go frowsy all the time)
3. corner of the room in a big plastic or cardboard bin- i'm thinking this is the best bet
4. fridge

what do you all think?

 

[dixiedragon]

I think the dry, hot room would be best. IMO, the heat will actually speed your cure time a bit. My attic, which gets HOT in the summer, is a great place to cure soap. My attic smells awesome, lol.

 

[LovelyMalia]

Yeah, I'd say anywhere dry and has somewhat decent circulation (closet may not be best).

Dixie, I was thinking of setting up a curing station in the attic, too! Even in the winter (heat rises in those old houses with no good insulation!) my attic remains pretty hot. Maybe I'll give it a try!

 

[neeners]

great idea! thanks all!!

 

[Lidyax]

Thanks for the advice too. I also live in tropic and I'm about to try 100% coconut oil soap this weekend. I read on About.com that superfatting it 20% will help it more moisturizing and less drying. Any thought about that?


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[dixiedragon]

I have never done a 20% superfat! I usually do in the 5%-7% range. I'm not even sure if you would have a bar that was firm enough to cut at 20%. What is your reasoning behind using 100% coconut?

 

[Lidyax]

I have never done a 20% superfat! I usually do in the 5%-7% range. I'm not even sure if you would have a bar that was firm enough to cut at 20%. What is your reasoning behind using 100% coconut?

Coconut oil is really cheap compared to other oils in my country, so I think it'll be perfect to learn adding other ingredients, coloring, swirling, etc without wasting a lot of money in case they fail.


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[JaimeM]

I've made the 100% coconut oil soap from about.com! It's my husband's favorite!! It's got great bubbles, and it's not at all drying (at least to my family's skin).
The hot room sounds like your best option for curing.

 

[neeners]

i'm doing a 20% super fat recipe too. I read that b/c it's coconut oil which won't go rancid easily, it works, and it will be moisturizing.

 

[azimuth]

I've always preferred 100% CO soap at 20 percent superfat, since any less than that would make it feel stripping, and getting dry skin

 

[shunt2011]

I would only make 100% coconut oil soap with a 15-20% superfat or it's way to drying to most peoples skin. I generally do 20%. Also for curing I would put it in the driest spot you can. Hot and dry is okay but keep it out of a lot of humidity. I cure mine in fruit boxes from the grocery that have holes in the sides so that air circulates plus they are stackable.

 

[renata]

I was totally nervous when I went on a vacation for a week and let my soaps in the hot hot apartment without air conditioning. Can homemade soap go rancid in hot enviroment?

 

[dixiedragon]

The only time I have gotten DOS (dreaded orange spots, which I think are rancidity in the soap) is when I stored soaps in my cool, damp basement.